The Paralysis Modification
by isthatforhereortogo
Summary: After Penny's life is permanently altered, how will the guys cope? Starts off nice and easy, but will ultimately hit the Shenny territory.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: I will update my other story one of these days. However, I had this idea that was swimming around in my head and well, I didn't want it to go to waste, so in the meantime here's another story. I haven't, nor will I ever, own TBBT. I do, however, own a dream version of the show where Penny DOES make the right choices. Hope you like it, folks._

"Hey guys! Ready to order?"

The four men paused their Star Wars discussion and glanced up at Penny. It was Tuesday and therefore, according to customary routine, they were dining at the Cheesecake Factory.

"Yes," Sheldon answered in his usual monotonic voice, "Although your question is completely redundant. Even if I, or Leonard, Wolowitz, and Koothrappali for that matter, did not have our meal choices predetermined before arriving, if we were not ready to order we would still be looking at our menus."

"So, you're saying it's a redundant question because you've already got your mind made up before coming to the restaurant?"

"Ye-" Sheldon cut himself off when he noticed Penny's cheeky smirk. "Touché."

"Leonard, sweetie?" Penny smiled and looked at her other, more sane neighbor.

"Oh, uh, I'll just have a salad. I'm not really that hungry," he shrugged.

"Sure. Howard?"

"I'll have one Penny with a side of gorgeous," came the engineer's predictable reply.

Penny narrowed her eyes. "I'll give you one more chance, Wolowitz."

"Just Penny, no gorgeous?"

"_And _you're cut off. I'll be back." She scooped up the menus and left the table.

"Dude, she forgot about me—again!" Raj cried.

"Well, it's no wonder," Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Given your inability to speak to females in a state of sobriety, I would assume that it's quite natural for you to be rendered overlooked."

"But it's not fair, though," Raj sulked.

"You want to talk about unfair? You think it's fair that I live with my mom and have to pay rent?" Howard said.

"Don't forget about my lactose intolerance," Leonard added. "Tell me that's fair."

"Gentlemen," Sheldon interjected, and they all turned towards him. "If we are going to converse about the subject of 'fairness', I believe it is only—if I may—fair that I mention Penny."

"What do you mean?" Leonard asked.

"Well, the other definition of fair is attractive, correct? And I believe Penny's features are very aesthetically pleasing. In fact, I would say I'm quite attracted to Penny."

His three companions stared at Sheldon like he'd just announced he was jumping off the Eiffel Tower.

Sheldon smirked. "Bazinga."

—

"I swear to God, one of these days, I am going to go _insane_," Penny muttered as she made her way back to the kitchen. She felt completely exhausted. It was bad enough that she had to work a gruelling shift 24/7, but she always had to keep a close eye on Sheldon whenever he came to the restaurant, just in case he did something to disrupt or alarm the other customers. She was thankful that they only stopped by once a week. She couldn't bear the thought of having to deal with Sheldon and his crazy antics at work every single day. It was bad enough having him as a neighbor.

Penny cursed under her breath as she opened the kitchen doors. She honestly couldn't wait for her shift to be over, so she could go home and just relax.

_Just two more hours, just two more hours. _This was the only thought that was flowing through her mind as Penny stepped inside the kitchen to pick up food for another table. Unfortunately, Penny wasn't paying enough attention to her surroundings to notice the spilled grease that was coating a section of the floor. As soon as Penny's heel touched said grease, her foot slipped and Penny had no time to stop herself from falling. She crashed onto the hard tiles and felt like there were a million needles, wasps, and flames attacking the whole of her back.

"Holy shit, someone call an ambulance!" was the last thing the waitress heard before the whole world dissolved into black nothingness.

—

"Sheldon, sit down," Leonard ordered, growing slightly irritated by Sheldon's pacing.

The physicist ignored his roommate and kept nervously pacing back and forth in the waiting room. They had immediately rushed to the hospital when they heard that Penny had tripped and blacked out at the restaurant, and now they were waiting nervously outside of her ward; Sheldon was so anxious that he didn't even care about the fact that this incident had disrupted his schedule, let alone remember his dislike of hospitals. "The carelessness of that woman! What if she's fractured her skull?"

"I'm sure she's fine," Raj said as an attempt to calm him down.

"How can you possibly know that?" Sheldon cried. "She could very well be in a coma, or even worse, about to die." He shuddered.

"Would it help if I sang Soft Kitty?" Howard suggested, half joking.

"Soft Kitty is for when I'm sick," Sheldon said, his panic momentarily shifting to annoyance. "Besides, Penny is the one who sings Soft Kitty to me." He shifted back to panic at the mention of her name. "_Penny._"

"Sheldon, trust me, everything will be fine, it's nothing to worry about," Leonard insisted, although he wasn't too sure. "Now just sit down."

Sheldon was about to argue, when suddenly a voice snatched their attention.

"Good evening, gentlemen."

They all looked up and saw a doctor standing in front of the room where Penny was resting. Leonard, Howard and Raj instantly stood up, heartbeats pounding against their flesh.

"I'm Dr. Lombard."

"Dr. Sheldon Coop-" Sheldon started to introduce himself, before Leonard shushed him.

"Now, you four are close friends of Miss … oh shoot, what was her last name?"

"We just call her Penny," Leonard said. "And yes, we're good friends. Sheldon and I live right across the hall from her."

"Ah, very well. Now, I'm afraid I have some bad news."

"Oh, I knew it! We've lost her, haven't we, doc?"

"Sheldon, let him speak."

"Thank you. And to answer your question-" He stared straight at Sheldon, who gulped. "No, she is alive and will be waking up shortly."

They sighed in relief.

"_However_-"

They grew tense again.

"The collision unfortunately damaged her spine, which means Penny will no longer be able to walk."

There was a silence so deep you could hear a pin drop.

Raj's throat went dry.

Howard's eyes widened. "You're kidding."

Leonard started to fumble in his pockets for his inhaler. "No, no. Please, no."

Sheldon simply stood there, dazed and for once, blank minded. All he could manage was a soft murmur. "Penny…"


	2. Chapter 2

The distinct whisper of voices was the first thing Penny heard before she slowly managed to open her eyes. She was so drowsy that it took her a few tries to keep her eyelids parted.

_Where am I? _

"Look, I think she's up." _I've heard that voice before. _

"Penny?" _He looks so familiar. _

"L-leonard?" _God, what is wrong with my voice? _

"Hey." Leonard forced a weak smile and kneeled down so he was at eye level with her.

"What's going on?"

"Shh, it's okay."

Penny looked and saw Sheldon, Howard and Raj standing practically as far away from her bed as they could, wide-eyed and shaky as if they were afraid of approaching her. Suddenly, the location dawned on her. "Why am I in a hospital?"

"You just had a little accident at work."

That was when it all came back to her in a memory flash. "Oh my God, that's right!" She gasped. "I have to go back. I'm not done my shift!" However, as soon as she attempted to get up, she frowned. "Why can't I feel anything below my chest?"

There was an uncomfortable silence. Sheldon shifted slightly. Howard coughed. Raj looked down.

"Oh God, they didn't amputate my legs, did they?!"

"No, no, your legs are still attached to your body," Leonard reassured.

"Then why can't I move?"

That silence again.

"Seriously, what the hell is going on?" Penny was growing impatient.

Sheldon spoke up. "Leonard, may I break it to her?"

Leonard glanced tentatively at his roommate before quickly nodding. "Uh, sure. Just be gentle."

Penny's heart was racing. "Break what to me?" She gasped softly. "I'm not going to die, am I?"

"No!" Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard cried at the same time, Raj shaking his head.

"Oh, thank God." Penny sighed. She suddenly realized something. "Hey, where's the doctor guy?"

"He said we could have a few minutes with you in private," Leonard explained.

Sheldon approached the bedside, and Leonard stood up and stepped a few feet back. "Penny…" he started, in his calm, collected manner. "Due to your injury at work, your vertebrae has been paralyzed."

Penny's mouth dropped. She didn't know what a vertebrae was, but she sure as hell knew what paralyzed meant. "You mean I'm … crippled?"

That awful silence returned for the third time.

"Oh my God," Penny whispered. Then she glared at the man standing beside her bed. "Sheldon, that's not funny!"

"It was not a joke," Sheldon responded.

"No… _no!_" Penny's eyes watered. This couldn't be happening.

"Shh, it's all right," Leonard gently took her hands, but she jerked them away.

"I'm going to be in a fucking wheelchair for the rest of my life?!" Tears leaked from her eyes and streamed down her face. Everything was ruined now. Her life, her career, everything. She would never be able to date a hot guy again. She would never be able to go jogging anymore. And forget her dreams of being an actress. If she thought landing a solid acting gig was difficult before, it would be nearly impossible now. "Why did I have to be so damn clumsy and trip like an idiot?!"

"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I still think you're hot!" Howard chimed in.

Unfortunately, Penny only cried harder. "_And now I can't even kick him in the nuts!_" She buried her face into the pillow, sobbing. Sheldon and Leonard looked at each other, unsure of what to do now.

Leonard stroked her hair. "We'll get through this, I promise. It won't be that bad."

"_Yes it will!_" Penny sobbed miserably.

The doctor re-entered the hospital room, and saw Leonard futilely trying to comfort Penny, with Sheldon standing very uncomfortably beside him. "So she found out, huh?" He muttered to Howard and Raj, and they both nodded. He sighed. "Poor thing."

"Penny." Leonard and Penny looked up at Sheldon, who said her name. "I'm not exactly sure what the alternative social protocol is in this situation. I cannot offer you a hot beverage since I am not familiar with this environment. However, I will say this: Stephen Hawking has been in a wheelchair for nearly his whole life, and he's one of the most brilliant people alive."

Penny stared astonishingly at him. If that was Sheldon's way of trying to liven her spirits, well, somehow, she was touched. Sheldon leaned closer, and they all watched in shock as he laid a hand on her shoulder, then _hugged _her. "There, there."

For the second time that day, Penny blacked out.

—

Leonard held open the apartment door as Sheldon wheeled Penny inside, Howard and Raj following after him. The doctor had given Penny some sleep medication just before they'd left the hospital, and she was snoring softly in the wheelchair. Now all they had to do was get her safely into bed to rest properly.

They stopped in front of the staircase and looked up, suddenly realizing there was a little obstacle standing in their way.

"How are we going to get her upstairs?" Howard wondered.

"We really need to do something about that elevator," Leonard remarked.

"Gentlemen, I have a solution," Sheldon said. "We'll simply lift the chair."

"Gee, I don't know if that's a good idea," Leonard muttered.

"On three," Sheldon said, ignoring Leonard's comment. They each grabbed a section of the chair (Howard "accidentally" grabbed hold of Penny's breast before Raj slapped his hand away). "One, two, three!" The four men grunted as they tried to lift the chair up.

No such luck.

"Damn." Leonard sighed.

"What now?" Howard wondered.

"Oh, I know! How about first we bring up the chair, and meanwhile one of us holds Penny?' Raj suggested.

"I'll carry Penny," Howard offered, barely allowing Raj to finish the sentence.

"No, I should get to carry her because it was _my _idea," Raj pointed out.

"You've got the upper body strength of a Keebler elf," Sheldon reminded him.

"Guys, if Penny would want anyone to carry her upstairs, it's obviously me," Leonard argued.

"I believe there's a more reasonable way to settle this," Sheldon said.

Three rounds of Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock later, and Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper was holding one sleepy blonde in his arms.

—

"How exactly did we let him talk us into this?" Leonard whispered to Raj.

The astrophysicist shrugged. "I have no idea."

Meanwhile, Howard was beaming as he sat on top of the chair being hoisted by his two friends. "It's like my Bar Mitzvah all over again," he mused. Leonard and Raj grunted from the strain of having to lift Howard up the stairs. Even though he couldn't weigh more than a hundred pounds, it was still no cakewalk.

"So Leonard, this must suck for you, huh?" Howard smirked. "No more late-night action, if you catch my drift."

"At least Sheldon won't have to wear those noise cancelling headphones anymore," Raj quipped. He and his partner-in-crime snickered.

Leonard gaped at them, then frowned. "I can't believe you guys! Penny's life will never be the same and all you can think about is the fact that I won't be having sex with her anymore?" Suddenly, the impact of that sentence crashed on him. "Oh."

Howard nodded. "Yeah, think about that while you're sleeping alone tonight, Hoffy. OKAY SHELDON, WE MADE IT UPSTAIRS!"

Raj glared at him. "Dude, that was _right _in my freaking ear."

Howard hopped off the chair. "Yeah, well know you know how I feel."

—

Sheldon was shifting from foot to foot. He really did not feel comfortable having to carry Penny. He carefully began mounting up the flight of stairs, being extra careful to not trip. He paused when he was mid-way up the staircase and glanced down at his neighbor. Her eyes were deeply shut, hair loose and dangling freely off his fingers, mouth open a tiny bit, soft snores escaping her lips. She really looked quite peaceful. Almost entrancing. Somehow, seeing her in such a gentle state made Sheldon object to touching people a little less.

He kept walking up the steps, when suddenly a voice started him. "Wha…"

He paused again and looked down. Penny's eyes were half open. "Shel… Sheldon?" she muttered. "W-where …what's going on?" She began to lift up her head.

"Shh. Rest." He lifted her head back down gently.

She opened her eyes fully, then frowned. "Why are you holding me?"

"Go back to sleep."

She looked at him wordlessly for a moment, then shrugged, "Okay," and shut her eyes again, snoring slightly louder.

_A/N: Btw, sorry if the medical info is totally wrong. I am so not a doctor, guys. _


End file.
